1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to tamper proof containers, and more particularly pertains to a new and improved tamper proof dispensing apparatus which facilitates the singular dispensing of medication containers.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In recent years, there has been a considerable amount of publicity regarding tampering with medicament containers on store shelves. In a number of cases such containers have had their contents poisoned and have then been resealed and replaced on store shelves for distribution to the public. As the result of several deaths, a large interest has developed towards the manufacture of medicament containers which are substantially tamper proof. These tamper proof containers are designed to be either substantially difficult to open or to provide an indication to a purchaser that such an undesired opening has occurred. It appears that all such efforts at tamper proofing medicament containers has centered around the sealing of the containers per se, and no efforts have been expended towards developing larger tamper proof dispensers which would protectively retain and dispense the smaller medicament containers.
With respect to the construction of dispensers now known in the prior art which might be adapted for use as a tamper proof container dispensers, a number of such dispensers have been developed wherein the contents thereof are normally inaccessible until dispensed by some type of spring biasing means. For example, reference is made to U.S. Pat. No. 926,316, which issued to A. Cairns on June 29, 1909. The Cairns device comprises a match box having a plurality of matches contained therein with such matches being dispensable one at a time by means of a manually operable spring ejection mechanism. Those matches not ejected are otherwise inaccessible. Another patent of interest is U.S. Pat. No. 2,960,259, which issued to A. Aveni on Nov. 15, 1960. The dispenser shown in this patent utilizes spring means to effect the ejectment of pills, one at a time, from a dispenser with the pills remaining therein being substantially inaccessible. However, the construction of the dispenser is complex and accordingly, it would most likely be too expensive to commercially manufacture and market.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,724,715, which issued to N. Auriemma on Apr. 3, 1973, discloses a larger scale dispenser designed to retain and individually dispense a plurality of material holding containers. Spring means are utilized to eject the material holding containers, one at a time, and an expanding crown device flexibly holds and guides a container as it is removed from the dispenser system. However, the construction of this assembly is also substantially complex and is not designed in a tamper proof manner.
Accordingly, it can be appreciated that there exists a continuing need for new and improved tamper proof dispensing systems which may be easily and inexpensively manufactured and which would reliably permit dispensing of medicament containers to the consuming public. In this respect, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.